The Line
by Little Bird
Summary: The choice was made... Belle knew she could have left hours ago, but she had used the magic of the Dagger to her own ends and she had to pay this price. Beginning at the town line during S4XE12, Belle needs to make a future for herself, but what about Rumple? This surely will become AU as soon as the season resumes. Rated M (just in case) for adult themes missing from OUAT.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own what I don't own, not making any money, please don't sue! My very dear readership, please be fair warned that this story is very likely to contain adult content and language but this is a story, not a PWP. Hang on for the ride, I have a plan!

The choice was made.

"Belle. Belle," he pleaded from behind her, tears evident in his voice.

Belle's breath arrived in clouds of steam between her own tears and her hand shook with the strength of her grip on the Dagger. She knew the hilt was bruising her hand, but she would not let it go yet. Rage enfolded Belle rendering her deaf and blind her to anything but her own vitriol.

When Belle opened her eyes again rage had begun draining away and the spasms of his breathing remained clearly audible. He had not yet left. She did not know how much time had passed, but she could no longer ignore the pain in her hand so she transferred the knife to her other one. The design of the hilt had left bloody and macerated skin in neat diagonal striations on her palm.

"I am afraid Belle. Please."

With some reluctance, she turned to face him where he lay with his cheek on the pavement and his lamed foot collapsed beneath him. She had never thought of him as fragile before, but like this he looked like he could blow away in a light breeze. His eyes were staring ahead, past her. Belle approached the town line and stopped on her side, to stand over him. He did not look up at her or so much as shift his gaze. Belle did not want to talk to this man, but even deep in her ire, pain and fear were two things she found difficult to ignore, and so she waited.

The man on the pavement started to shake his head repeatedly.

"Belle's not gone, Belle's not gone." The Dark One balled his fist and she could see the white of his knuckles.

"It's all wrong, Belle's not gone," Rumplestiltskin's mouth twisted in a mutilated smile. He giggled. "Oh no, dearie! Bae is dead, gone, not here. Who's this then?"

Belle started to step toward him but caught herself and took a deliberate step away from the line: "Rumple!" she hissed in spite of herself.

"Oh dearie, we're over the line, 'round the bend, headed toward the bitter end." His eyes may still have been his human mahogany, but he sing-songed as he had when she had first met him.

Then Mr. Gold answered, "I left you behind thirty years ago, Crocodile. Leave me to my misery."

"You don't deserve your misery!" Rumplestiltskin sneered. "That's too good for a weakling like you. What did I say about, that little distraction?"

"Belle was no distraction, not some idle project! I love her. True love's kiss would have worked if not for you." Mr. Gold's cheek remained against the wet blacktop and he ground his teeth audibly. Belle flinched.

"Well, you can't blame that on me. You're the coward," Rumplestiltskin went on.

"I can blame you! I have always acted from love and I knew what I was doing that day at the front. That took courage and Baelfire had to have a father, as I never did."

The Crocodile snickered, "Oh the lies we tell ourselves! I suppose you're going to tell me tossing him away was bravery too?"

"That was you! I spent my life trying to make right that wrong. I let go of you, I died for him, for Belle."

Rumplestiltskin did not reply.

"My love for Belle is not weakness or cowardice, no matter what you say." Gold continued. "I did it for her. And it would have worked. That pirate would finally have paid for hurting her, and for Milah, and I could have given her everything she ever wanted. She would have understood, if I could only have made her. I don't see what went wrong."

"Doubt you ever will," the Crocodile tittered.

Belle had quickly realized during Rumple's interchange with himself that he could not hear her or see her anymore. That left her to watch as he lost his mind.

And she watched all night, quietly shivering with the occasional escape of tears that stung in dried out eyes. A fog settled, then blew away. Rumplestiltskin jabbered and Mr. Gold's replies turned to mostly pleading. He was shivering too, wet from lying on the pavement. Eventually he did sit up and wrap his arms around his knees. She could not always hear him clearly, but the flash of his teeth in the streetlight and the hiss of sibilants did reach her. As a weak grey light poked at the eastern trees the wild flourishes of his hand came fewer and further between. The voice, hoarse now, more clearly was that of Mr. Gold.

Belle knew she could have left hours ago, but she had used the magic of the Dagger to her own ends and she had to pay this price. Now he had stopped talking to himself, at least, and only shook his head or nodded to his internal monologue.

Abruptly, his head came up and he looked right through where she stood. She took a step back anyway.

"Belle! You are my everything! My enough. I may be a coward, but I will be what you wanted, what you deserve. I cannot give up power for you or anyone else, not even for me. Even in this land without magic, the potential is but merely dormant, sleeping for a time. I could have cleaved myself from the dagger, but I cannot cleave myself from magic. I am either the Dark One or I am dead. It cannot be undone! True love's kiss would have worked if only I had had the courage then, but that chance is passed. Power is part of who I am and you have always known that, whatever you wish were true.

"I saw a chance at freedom and I took it. Call it weakness, but I am a slave Belle! You don't want that for me." Rumple ground the heal of his hand into his eye, clearing tears and he sniffed. "I know I am talking to myself, but if I am to remain sane enough for- sane enough, I'll pretend you hear me so hear this: I choose you. If I can cross worlds to find my son, I can find you too..." He trailed off. Belle's cheeks were freshly wet and so were his. Finally he began again softly, "But how to be that man? I don't know how. How to be what Belle wants?"

Morning light had nearly disbursed the shadows and she followed his gaze into the forest. He stiffly stood and hugged himself shivering. His first step gained him little as his damaged foot sent him to his hands and knees with a groan.

"Fine. Fine, if this is how it has to be." Rumple crawled to the forest edge to collect a fallen limb which he broke with his good foot. It issued a startling crack in the hush of dawn. That complete, he took one last look toward where he had last seen his love and hobbled away.

The walk back to town was long, but not long enough in some ways. Belle stalked down the middle of Main Street, dagger in hand and coat flailing behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

**The following chapter is rated M for a lovely little scene which I hope you will enjoy. Please read responsibly.**

He had already dispensed with his vest, tie and the top buttons of his shirt. That exposed his chest to view and Belle noticed how, without the omnipresent somber jacket, the light blue shirt made him appear softer, human. She supposed that, aside from just being a classy guy, without his scaly appearance of the Enchanted Forest his jacket and tie served to remind and intimidate the citizenry. Looking at how the shadows played at the hollow of his throat, she inhaled and across the room as she was, she imagined his scent. Her heart sped up and her bare toes curled on the rug. A quivering bolt of heat shot straight for her nether regions as her gaze settled on his bare sternum.

Rumple exited the bathroom and stopped to observed her. He let go of his cufflink and she saw his shoulders relax. For her part she had an elbow caught in her sleeve and she could feel the flush rising to her cheeks. He caught her eyes and she ceased her struggle with the classic elbow/sleeve debacle.

"Mrs. Gold, do you require assistance?" He smirked at her and Belle was wet.

"Who knew the Dark One was a gentleman?" she smiled at him.

"Why, a certain reputation for evil does not necessitate poor manners." Rumple appeared behind her. Or rather against her behind. He snuffled at her neck. His scent filled her mind as his hands slid along her ribs and Belle relaxed against him. Rumple undid a few more buttons of her sweater in order to liberate her from it. Belle's eyelid fluttered as he brushed a breast on his way by. The cuff of her sweater he took between thumb and forefinger. With a flourish the garment appeared over the rocking chair in the corner of their bedroom.

That accomplished Rumple held her by the hips against him while he nudged her hair away from his intended target. Her neck. He dawdled in dragging his nose from shoulder to jaw nipping and kissing along the way. Beneath her jaw he paused to kiss and inhale deeply. The Dark One sighed in her ear. Belle pressed against his heat through the intervening fabric and hummed her own sigh. Rumple's hand found her breast and began a gentle massage of the supple tissue. Belle stroked his working fingers with hers enjoying the grace and dexterity two hundred years of spinning had afforded him.

The fabric of Rumple's pants posed no impediment for Belle's questing hand and she grasped him behind her. Rumple's hand tensed on her breast and he groaned softly kissing at her jawline. Red smoke curled in front of her vision for a second, she felt a draft and she was beneath him on the bed, naked on all fours. His heat remained pressed between their bodies, but his magic, his magic was elsewhere. Everywhere else.

Belle let her head hang so she could watch, she always watched when he did this. Bubbling blue magic slid up her inner thighs, up her rib cage and over her breasts. It was warm and had an almost liquid quality. She panted in anticipation. Upon reaching her apex it undulated and quivered over her externals before slipping within as well. Rumple gasped with her as it did so. She suspected this magic was an extension of himself and that this sensation for him... must have been just as extraordinary as it was for her.

His supporting arm at her hips tightened as the magic expanded within her, gently preparing her for him. It undulated and shivered as it stretched her walls. He trembled above her as she gasped with the rhythm of his magic. His lips quivered as he kissed her neck between the undulations of magic. Belle's orgasm shook them both. Both panted as he let her go gently and the magic eased from within her. It flowed outward to continue its journey, slowly covering her skin.

Belle rolled onto her back and pulled him down to kiss him. She flicked her tongue along his while she gripped the back of his neck. She sought him out to stroke and he skipped a breath. His soft skin moved easily along his length in her grasp and his head dropped to the pillow beside her. He shuddered and after a moment he shifted his hips out of her reach.

The blue magic oozing over her like a second skin parted around her nipple to admit Rumple's mouth and kneaded her body gently as did his lips and tongue. His magic crept over her scalp to massage and Belle's found his hair with her own fingers.

Their breathing was loud in the room and Belle's back arched as he gently rolled one nipple between his fingers while sucking on the other, magic and all. When he looked up at her she could see his pupil's dilation and they stared at one another for just a second before he asked: "May I?"

She took this part of the ritual as seriously as he did and she said simply, between her breaths, "Yes."

She felt the magic recede from where it had covered her entrance and his body replaced it with gentle pressure. Her chin lifted but she did not break eye contact as he entered her. Rumple took his time so both could savor the moment of first joining and the pause that followed while both adjusted to the sensation. Red sparks erupted from Rumple's skin. The sparks prickled on her flesh through its magic covering, warm but not burning. Belle's orgasm caught her by surprise and him too. They smiled at each other.

He dropped to his elbows to kiss her as the storm of sparks swirled and tingled around them. They began. Cries and the need to breathe broke their kisses apart and they surged together. Belle felt the magic tensing around her as she tensed around him. When both were spent and the last of the sparks had faded, Rumple wrapped them both in the blue magic to seal them together for sleep. The rise and fall of Rumple's chest felt hypnotic with the magic pulsing around them and Belle drifted. His voice reached her as if from far off and Belle returned to awareness.

"I love you no matter what," he was saying, "I know I broke your trust today, but I meant what I said about making it up to you. I'm not a perfect man, Belle, not by far, but there is strength in our love and I will find my way to being what you deserve."

Belle stiffened against him and his hands stopped their circles on her back. Then she was struggling to sit up against the magic cocoon in which he cuddled them.

"Belle?" Worried, Rumple allowed the magic to dissipate and the colder air of the room rushed at her skin.

Belle sat up alone in their bedroom in the now late afternoon. She had sweated through her pajamas and into the sheets. Moisture between her legs felt just as it had a second ago in her dream, a remnant of their mutual satisfaction. If that could be called a dream. His side of the bed was as he had left it yesterday morning. Upon her return she had crawled into her side without wanting to disturb the illusion that he would be returning to bed that evening. The illusion that he had just gone to work without making the bed, like always.

The afternoon shadows sulked on the walls and the sunlight was glaring at her through the gap in the curtains. She sucked in breath and crossed her arms over her abdomen, hunching. She was still hot in spite of herself. Confusion, fear and loss lobbied for her attention and Belle could only sit still and breathe for several minutes.

What the hell had that been? It had felt real, just as real as it had two nights ago here in this room. Never in her life had Belle dreamed like that. She half expected him to come out of the bathroom and ask her what was wrong. And she wanted him to.

And she never wanted to see him again.

Hunger eventually remobilized Belle. She retrieved the Dagger from between the mattress and the headboard where she had stashed it this morning. Weekend clothes were all Belle had energy to think about and she stuffed herself into them. Jeans and a tee-shirt achieved, Belle realized she did not have a place to stow the Dagger out of sight so she opted for a belt and knee length coat. The Dagger was not comfortable shoved into the belt at her hip, but it was somewhat concealed and on her person which was the important part.

Arrival at Granny's happened rather suddenly and Belle could not recall the trip. She knew she had simply been brooding and not paying attention to where she was walking, but it was still disconcerting. Stools emptied of their occupants as Belle approached the counter and she plopped onto the one across from a wary looking Granny.

"Chicken parm and rum. And iced tea. And chocolate cake." The results of Belle's _don't fuck with me_ face went beyond her intentions. The woman across from her was scared, pale in fact. Belle added, "Please."

Granny blinked and scuttled away.

Belle's hand hurt. It throbbed and did not want to be moved. She had not bothered to dress or clean the weeping wound. Her palm had swelled and if she moved it, the weak scabbing broke open. When the iced tea arrived, Belle wrapped a napkin around the glass and then gently wrapped her sore hand around the coolness. She sighed. This simple act was the first thing that actually made anything better since last night.

"Thanks," Belle said simply, looking at Granny.

Granny dodged her gaze and muttered, "No problem."

"You really did it, didn't you?" Regina slurred at her from the other end of the counter.

Belle looked up at Regina, feeling unimpressed with the woman and uninterested in her opinions. "Yeah, I did," was all she said.

Whispers erupted behind her followed by the bell jangling with hasty exits. That left a drunk Regina, Granny and Belle in the diner.

"I thought I heard her order rum. Where is it, Granny?" Regina poofed herself to the stool next to Belle's and whiskey slopped over the rim of the queen's tumbler.

Belle said nothing, still not interested in company or commentary. Purple smoke dissolved into a glass, an ice cube and the bottle of rum. Regina poured. Belle was slightly more interested, now, but not much. She gulped and set the glass back down.

Meaning to tell Regina off, somewhat nicely, Belle swiveled to her on the stool. Mouth open to speak, Belle aborted what she had to say when she realized Regina's gaze had landed on the exposed Dagger.

"You're gonna need help."

"Since when did you take a job in Doctor Hopper's office?" Belle had always wanted to be rude to this woman; now seemed like the time.

Regina laughed too loudly and too long. How long had she been drinking? It was not even dinner time. Belle took a slug of rum and stared down the former Evil Queen. Rock bottom was an inspiring location, it turned out.

Regina settled down under Belle's stare, "Not that kind of help, _dearie_." Her hiccup spoiled her flat statement only a little.

Belle poured herself another and tossed it back before replying, "And precisely what kind of help are you offering? I'm pretty sure I just achieved what needed doing."

Regina chewed her lip thoughtfully then said, "To start with, style. Appearing in Granny's was a good start, but what the hell are you wearing?" The drunk missed the confusion on Belle's face and plowed on. "After that, you really should consult an expert before you go off half cocked on your first scheme. And since I have nothing better to do, no one better to do, I may as well take you under my wing."

Now well into her third on an empty stomach, Belle regarded Regina's sloppy grin with fuzzy bewilderment. "My only current scheme is to get drunk and stay that way until something better turns up. I suppose you're mostly there already, so if you're helping with that, fine. But I don't want to talk about it."

"Which means you do."

Belle made a disgusted noise and turned her attention back to Granny, "I'm starving, maybe we could start with the cake? Takes less time?"

The old woman blinked at her and dished a hunk of cake onto a plate. Belle began to eat, frosting end first. It was good cake, after all.

Unfortunately, it went away too fast and Belle was left to wait for her dinner with an even drunker Regina. While being charitable to the woman who had made multiple attempts to ruin her life was not high on her list, Belle could not really contest the woman's assertion.

"Lonely hearts club sure knows how to empty a place, huh?" That was the best Belle could manage.

"Lonely hearts club? I don't think it's the weeping and whining that drove them off," Regina smirked at her, "More like the reputation for murder and mayhem we may or may not have earned."

"Speak for yourself."

"Spoken as if you didn't just tell the entire town you did it." Regina slurped her drink.

"You're not making sense Regina, I removed the mayhem, you're the one who creates it." Regina might not have been Belle's choice of a drinking buddy, but jabbing Regina a little gave her a pleasant smug feeling she could not deny. She snorted, "Yeah, and I did it at great personal cost."

"Magic never does go on sale, does it?" Regina raised her glass and Belle clinked it. "Lemme see that hand."

Belle reluctantly pulled her hand away from the iced tea which had been pleasantly numbing it. Of course the condensation made the napkin stick to the glass but the rest of it was now stuck in her wound now, because of the bleeding and oozing. "Ew."

"I'll say," Regina took her wrist and started peeling wet napkin out of Belle's wound. For a drunk, Regina had Belle but good and though she tried, she could not just yank her hand away. It hurt. Belle was certain Regina was enjoying her pain. Only when a small pile of sodden napkin bits lay between them and the wound was fully exposed did Regina say, "There, would you look at that. Great job Belle, I'll heal your hand for services rendered. You did me a hell of a favor."

Regina waved her hand over Belle's before she could refuse and Belle had to admit it was a relief. She did snatch her hand back though and reply, "I didn't do it for you."

"Of course not, but that doesn't follow that I should be ungrateful."

"Thanks, I guess. Feel what you want, I don't care."

Regina smiled an eager, anticipatory smile which gave Belle a creepy feeling. Belle went back to her drink and spared frequent looks toward the kitchen. She really was hungry. They drank in silence for a while.

"You don't have any friends in this town either, do you Regina?" Belle said suddenly.

"Nice Belle, I never figured you for a mean drunk."

She shrugged, "I stood out there all night, at the town line, and no one, not a single person, came to so much as check to see if he had ... done for me or something. Never mind a ride home." She sipped, "I guess I really shouldn't have expected different. When your husband's an evil murderer, no one wants to come over for tea."

"Being evil will have that effect." Regina gave her a speculative look. "So what are you gonna do, now that he's gone. I mean, you own the town now. All that power."

Belle wrinkled her nose, "Oh gods, I suppose I do own the town now. I'm the land lady now. Guess I won't starve at least. I should manage fine, I was raised a duke's daughter after all."

"Manage. I suppose you will at that." She glanced at the knife suspended from Belle's belt. "Seems like you should take me up on my offer of wardrobe help. You won't want to have that in plain sight. Ever."

"Hand bag didn't really seem adequate, but I'll figure it out."

Regina leaned an elbow on the counter and propped her cheek on her fist, "You know I killed my own father to cast the curse."

"What exactly are you fishing for here, Regina? My pity?"

The queen arched a dark eyebrow, "I know you're not expecting it from me, but I thought you could use someone to talk to who understands, even a little, what you are going through. This is me, turning over leaves, or something."

"I suppose that's nice of you. He's gone, that's it. He's not coming back. He can only haunt me in my dreams now, I guess."

The door bell startled them both and Emma Swan burst in. Then she seemed to lose her hurry and swaggered over to the counter to sit on Belle's other side. Belle did not miss the significant look Swan shared with Regina even though a solid drunk was setting in and the world seemed fuzzier, slower.

Swan snaked an arm over the counter and fetched herself a glass, "So, what are we drinking?"

Belle slid the now less full bottle of rum toward the sheriff.

"Not my first choice, but my first choice is what's within reach." She poured herself a few fingers. "So..." she began not very nonchalantly, "How you doin' Belle? You know, since last night and all."

Belle's temper flared, "Oh, now you care?" Her newly healed right hand clenched into a fist around the hilt of the Dagger across her body. Regina could see it clearly and stiffened which caused Swan to lean away. For her part Belle all but turned her back on Regina to stare down Swan, "I saved your miserable pirate's life and you, the sheriff, couldn't be bothered to so much as check on me, to see if I was ok? Not a single person gave a damn about me last night after I-" She cut herself off as the onset of tears threatened her gush of anger.

Clearly back peddling, Swan held up her hands, "We care about you Belle, we're pretty worried now, matter of fact." The sheriff licked her lips, "You really did do it, didn't you? I not sure I could have, if the situation were reversed. That takes moxy."

Belle guffawed and tensed her hand on the Dagger, "I suppose you thought the Dark One just married his maid because you thought me weak willed, someone he could control? Well you thought wrong, Emma."

"Belle, if you aren't going to stab her with it, you should let go of the Dagger. I fixed your hand once already today." Regina was talking in her ear and Belle spun around in surprise.

"Hey, yeah Belle, what do you say, there's been enough of that recently." That was the sheriff talking.

Belle felt dizzy from drink, but she felt something else too. Regina suddenly looked all too steady and quite sober. Dark eyes bore into hers with seriousness. And fear. Regina was nervous. That hum in the air, she could feel a buzz coming from Regina and also from Swan behind her.

Belle stumbled off her stool and skittered across the diner to put distance between herself and the two sorceresses. The Dagger was drawn and in her hand before she knew what was happening. Her gaze raced between the two women at the counter who now both had their hands free. They were focused on her. A gout of red sparks erupted from her Dagger hand and a red flare of magic sizzled along the blade.

"She really did do it!" Swan croaked at Regina.

"No shit, Emma, what'd I tell you!"

Belle shrieked and dropped the blade. Both women lunged across the room but Belle dove for it and her hand seized the hilt before they were halfway to her.

Terror gripped her and red sparks leapt from either hand now. Tears ran down Belle's face and she started for the door. Belle, however, as drunk and she fell flat on her face. At least she kept her grip on the Dagger this time.

She rolled on her back to see Regina with a fireball and Emma with her white hot light gathered to hand. "Why do you want to hurt me?" was all that Belle could figure out to say.

The two women stopped their advance and looked at each other.

Swan spoke first, "We don't, we just thought..."

"Well we thought you were about to incinerate Miss Swan." Regina, eloquent as always. "Are you?"

"No! How could I? I wouldn't do something like that, even if I could!" Belle's voice had gained a solid half octave.

"What do you mean how? That part is pretty obvious to me." Swan gestured at the Dagger.

Belle looked at her hand as red lightening zipped along the length of the blade and around her fist. She tried to shake it off, like something sticky, and a stray bolt burned a hole in a metal table leg. Belle yipped.

Regina grabbed Swan's arm and they began backing away. She said, "It's great to hear that you don't want to incinerate Miss Swan, so let's not have it happen by accident, now, ok?"

"Thanks Regina."

"I'll remind you of that later."

"Look, Belle, you're clearly not in control, and being drunk doesn't help-How could you let her get like this?- so how's about you let us help you out." Swan lowered her blazing hand and batted at Regina to do the same. She did and went so far as to let the fireball die.

Belle started breathing again. The three women were silent while they all watched the lightening issuing from Belle's hands slowly flicker less and then disperse into the floor leaving tiny burn marks.

"Can you sober her up?" Swan to Regina.

"On it. Belle, I can help, but if you try it with the lightening again, I will put you down." Ever the tactful type.

"Fine, but hands off the Dagger."

"We got that part." Swan said and Regina nodded.

Regina crossed swiftly to Belle, grabbed her head and then ducked to the side. As soon as Regina's purple haze left her vision, Belle vomited noisily on the floor. She coughed the last of the chocolate cake out gracelessly, but she felt better.

"Swan, water." Regina ordered and Belle was drinking soothingly a moment later.

The other two women backed away from Belle and took seats on a backwards chair and a table.

Belle finished the water and then scooted back against the doorjamb to stare back and forth between the two women. "I do believe this has been the very worst twenty four hours of my entire life."

Swan snorted a laugh but swallowed it but Regina busted up and soon the three of them were chuckling.

"I'll say, Belle, you killed your one true love, took his power to become the Dark One, and ended up in a drunken mage fight. That's a big day for a book worm!" Regina cast an elbow in Swan's general direction and they smiled at each other.

"Wait, what? You think I killed Rumple?!" Belle was on her feet in a second and lightening stabbed the floor beside her, which made her squeak in alarm.

Their laughter died abruptly.

"You didn't?" they said in unison. She had their full attention.

"Gods no! I could never kill Rumple. I banished him, I sent him across the town line, is all. Is all..." Tears filled her eyes again and she felt the hurt replace her fear and anger. Belle's shoulders slumped and she flicked the red lightening from her hand once more. Then she sheathed the dagger back in her belt beneath her coat.

"You're not the Dark One." Swan was looking hard at her with narrowed eyes.

"No?" Belle wished that had not sounded so much like a question, "Rumple was alive when I last saw him."

Speaking gently, as if to a psychopath, Regina said, "Will you let us look, just look, at the Dagger?"

"We're not going to try to take it from you," Swan added hastily.

Belle nodded and moved her jacket aside to look down at the name on the blade: Rumplestiltskin.

She was not sure who sighed the loudest but relief flooded the room.

"She's not the new Dark One?" They all turned to see Granny peaking over her crossbow through the pass-through.

"No," Regina said definitively, "Rumple is alive and well and still the Dark One, wherever he is."

"That still leaves us with you, Belle, and how you suddenly wield magic." Swan said, stating the obvious. Regina frowned and rolled her eyes at her, not one to miss such an opportunity.

"If you're not going to kill me, I think I might like my dinner after all." Belle said pulling her self together. "I just lost the only thing I'd eaten in the past day."

Regina flicked a hand and the offending pile vanished in a puff of purple smoke.

Belle heard disgusted gasping from outside and turned to see half of Storybrooke standing cheek by jowl in the little courtyard. All come to see the new Dark One, she now supposed. She turned back to Granny with her crossbow, "My dinner?"

The old woman's crossbow disappeared from view.

The three women set about restoring order to the diner in awkward silence. Without a word, Emma grabbed their glasses, the rum and plunked them on the a table. They sat. Belle looked at her hands.

"I don't know. Before you ask, I don't know." Belle held up a forestalling hand, "I've stood out in the cold all night watching my husband go insane and then crawl away, my dreams are beyond bizarre up, I was drunk up until five minutes ago and no, I haven't had a chance to read, or research or even grieve the loss of my husband. So no, I don't have any answers."

Regina less than surreptitiously retrieved Belle's empty glass from in front of her and put it just out of reach. "Weird dreams you say?"

Belle blushed furiously not at all meaning to have disclosed that one.

"What do you mean by bizarre?'" Regina leaned forward, probing but speaking softly in hopes of keeping this out of the ears of the town's second worst gossip.

Belle felt hot and she did not want to discuss her sex life with the Evil Queen and the Savior. She also knew that Regina's soto-voce would not escape Granny's hearing, even if Regina herself had forgotten about that. That woman appeared like magic with her chicken parm.

"That's pretty private, do you think it's relevant?" Belle hedged.

"That's the only lead we've got so far, so yeah, I think we probably ought to at least investigate it." Swan said. Belle confirmed her prior opinion that the woman was nosy.

Belle licked her lips then reached for her wallet. The bills she left far exceeded the tab, but there were the flooring and table legs to consider. She fixed Regina with a distasteful stare, "Would you take us to my place? Outside the door, Rumple told me anyone aside from him who tries to appear inside the house is in for something nasty."

"I'll take us to the sidewalk, just to be on the safe side. Good old Rumple's probably got something special planned just for me."

No sooner had Belle grabbed her plate than the three of them had purple smoke clearing from their eyes. She lead the way up the front walk and into the house. Time to repaint, she thought as she stepped over the threshold.

Belle stalled for time by serving them the lemonade she had made yesterday morning. She sat and made serious in-roads into her now very cold dinner.

About half way through her plate Regina said, "Ok Belle, out with it."

Belle looked squarely at the grain of the table and started talking, "It started when he came out of our bathroom... I won't bore you with the details, but we made love, just like we always do and I thought it was real. I didn't know I was dreaming and you know how dreams are weird and get off track and stuff, but this wasn't like that." Belle was aware she was speeding up out of anxiety, and she deliberately took a breath, "He surrounded us as he always does and then he started talking about last night. He was trying to explain it, or apologize or something. I tried to get away from him and he let the magic go. I woke up in our bed, like, just like what had happened in my dream had, well really happened." Belle finished in a rush and then added, "He said he would find a way to be what I deserve."

"Oh for gods-sakes Belle, do you think you're the only one to miss having magic sex with Rumple? The club just isn't that exclusive. What a waste of time."

"Regina!" "Regina?" Emma and Belle exclaimed together.

"What? He hadn't even met you yet. Don't you think something as important as sex would obviously be part of training? And yes, he did a number on me. And probably my mother and sister, though it grosses me out to think about it." Regina's matter of fact tone did not do justice to Belle's feelings on the subject.

"Ew!" Swan said with characteristic bluntness.

Belle pushed ahead, "On our wedding night Rumple told me that using magic during sex is an act of creation, like sex itself. He didn't specify. I don't know why he mentioned it that night as opposed to, before."

Regina had the grace to blush, "He was sparse with those details when I asked, but he was mostly teaching me contraception, and-" She coughed "- how to defend against bindings, other methods of attack. Like I say, he, uh, got me good, damn him."

Swan looked a bit squeamish and she opened her mouth but elected not to speak.

Regina rolled her hand dismissively, "He did say that sex magic is light magic, and there's a difference between that and using magic as the best sex toy imaginable. We did the latter, aside from trying to kill each other, and it sounds like you did the former as well. No," she forestalled, "I don't know the consequences either because he told me what he told you, except that he said he wasn't interested in doing that with me, so I'd have to discover it for myself." At least the woman had the grace to look uncomfortable. Belle also thought she was avoiding something else.

"Ok, so magic can be used as a sex toy and somehow that's different from the sex magic, what's the big deal here? How does that get us anywhere near explaining Belle's sudden use of magic?"

Belle and Regina turned twin tight lipped expressions on her, and Belle spoke softly, "It probably doesn't, but sex toy just doesn't cover it, Emma."

Regina smirked at her hands and shifted on her chair. Belle warmed in spite of herself.

Swan stared from one to the other and then blurted, "Regina you up gotta teach me! I mean, Hook, and!"

"I will not sleep with you, Miss Swan." Regina glared at the blond woman next to her.

Swan flushed.

Belle held it in for a moment then started snickering, as did Regina.

"You're not disappointed are you?" Regina turned an incredulous stare back to Swan.

Swan's mouth twisted slightly, "Well, there just has to be another way to learn that."

"Sorry, I only know how I was taught, guess you'll have to go sleep with Rumple." Regina teased smiling.

Belle grunted and Swan said, "Don't be gross, Regina."

Both Belle and Regina squawked indignantly, "Hey!"

Belle shot both women dirty looks but smiles twitched the corners of mouths all around.

Regina took a long pull on her lemonade and sat back in her chair considering Belle. Then she sat up intently, "Are you pregnant?"

The question startled Belle but her head shake was instant, "No, Rumple said he could take care of that."

Regina looked concerned now and she extended a hand toward Belle. Urgency in her voice she said, "Are you completely sure?"

"Yes, why? I started my cycle again last week."

The woman across from her regained some color to her face and sat back in her chair. She was silent for a long moment then said tersely, "Transportation magic isn't safe during pregnancy. You've transported at least three times in the past day."

Swan's gaze snapped to Regina, eyes narrowing.

Belle noticed too, but had a more pressing contention with Regina, "Only twice, when Rumple took us too the town line and just now with you."

"No, three times. You appeared in Granny's an hour ago. I saw it and so did everyone else."

She could only stare back at the woman across from her. "I don't have the faintest idea how to do that, how could I have?"

"My guess?" Regina said, "Magic is fueled by emotion, you really wanted to get to Granny's, quick. So you did."

Belle looked back and forth between her companions, "I really don't remember my walk there. I had my coat on and then I was in Granny's. Since when does magic just appear in someone? Wouldn't I have notice before now if I had magic?"

"I would have thought so, but I didn't know I had it until Rumple showed up just before my wedding and Swan here only just started using her talent." Regina reasoned.

"That's as may be," Swan said pragmatically, "But the Dark One uses people and a magical wife would be advantageous to him. If you had had magical talent, don't you think he would have tried to use you long before now? Before Storybrooke even? That guy schemes seriously long term. I mean, wouldn't you have been a potential liability to him, puttering around with all his magic stuff in his castle? He'd have been manipulating you from the beginning if he was even willing to take that risk."

"Much as I hate it, you're right. Rumple would not have accepted a maid with magic, and if he had known then, he would never have let me kiss him." Belle said with melancholy.

Regina wrinkled her nose with distaste, "I still don't see how someone like you would fall for the likes of Rumple. Sure I slept with him, but that was a, a means to an end. But you did that all on your own. Running into you that day on the road was just luck on my part."

"I suppose I should be grateful to you, for that." Belle conceded. "I wouldn't have known it was true love if not for you." She considered her fingers, sad all over again.

"Belle, you are in serious trouble sister." Swan said, "You fell for a total toad, and it isn't like you didn't know! You can't seriously be surprised how this ended? Can you?"

"Sensitive as always Swan," Regina frowned at the woman.

The rebuke did sting but Belle rallied, "There is good in him!"

"So much good you threw him over the town line!" Swan was on a roll now, "Right call, finally, but I mean, really, truly, the guy is a murderer and worse, is that what you kept telling yourself? Twenty eight years in a cell might screw with you I suppose, but Belle, marrying a guy like that is just crazy."

Belle's face twisted in a snarl, "Says the woman who wants to learn sex magic for her pirate!"

Regina stood, "Enough!" She walked around the table to stand over Swan and Belle with her palms braced on the table between them. "There are enough bad decisions to all of our names to fill a very deep hole. But let's make some sort of effort not to upset the new dark sorceress in town, shall we?"

She was looking at Belle's crackling fists which were smoldering the table. Belle followed her gaze and took a purposeful deep breath. The red lightening fizzled without further charring of her table.

"Well that's a start," Regina observed approvingly. "Better than you, Swan."

Swan rolled her eyes.

Belle said, "If I am suddenly manifesting a talent, why would it be dark magic? I'm, well, a nice person."

"Seems obvious to me," Regina replied, "You married straight up Evil. And I would know. That means a part of you accepts the darkness, maybe even (probably) finds it tempting."

"But I don't want to hurt anyone!" Belle protested.

"Not even a little?" Regina's dark smile made her opinion clear.

"Maybe a little, but only in my head. I couldn't actually hurt someone." Belle admitted. "I'm just so angry!" Tears prickled her eyes and her previously iced tea gave off steam.

"I'd say our most pressing need has been made clear," Swan declared. "Why is less important than keeping you from burning up the whole town by accident. Regina, I like to practice blowing things up on the beach, just to vent, would you take us there? And when are you going to teach me how to go poof?"

"What do I look like, a taxi service?" Regina snapped. "And you're nowhere near ready for that. Learn Elvish and I might let you start with small rocks." She moderated her tone, "But your point is well taken, finish up your food Belle, it's fire magic tonight."


End file.
